Ruby WaxOBE (born Ruby Wachs, 19 April 1953)[2] is an American born, naturalised British comedian.

A classically trained actress, she came to prominence as a comic interviewer, playing up to British perceptions of the strident American style, which she replicated in the TV sitcom Girls on Top. She also appeared in Absolutely Fabulous, where she doubled as script editor. Her memoirs, How Do You Want Me?, reached the Sunday Times best-seller list.

In 1987, Wax was given her own comedy chat show Don't Miss Wax, on Channel 4. She was also hired as a radio presenter by the Superstation, an overnight sustaining service for commercial radio in the UK.[8]

Wax began work with the BBC in 1991. In, 1996 she appeared in the series Ruby Wax Meets, for the BBC in which she interviewed public figures such as Imelda Marcos and Pamela Anderson.[9] Wax was nominated in 1996 for a BAFTA award for her interview with Sarah, Duchess of York, an interview which attracted an audience of over 14 million viewers.[10]

She also made several guest appearances in Absolutely Fabulous, a programme on which she served as script editor throughout the run of the series.[11]

From November 2001 to June 2002 Wax presented a TV quiz show broadcast on BBC1 called The Waiting Game.[9] Her final BBC interview series aired in 2003.

In 2005 Wax appeared as a cleaner in the music video to McFly's Comic Relief song All About You.

Writing, academia, corporate training and returns to television and stage[edit]

In 2002 Wax wrote her memoir, How Do You Want Me?, which became a best-seller according to the Sunday Times best-seller list.

In March 2009, Wax returned to Comic Relief to take part in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice. Wax appeared in the 2011 Comic Relief in Comic Relief Does Master Chef in which Wax prepared an appetiser for the Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Wax's 2010 stand-up show Losing It deals with her experience of clinical depression.[13] The show played in London at the Duchess Theatre in 2011. Wax founded a mental health website in 2011 in response to the audience reaction from her theatre show.[14]

In June 2015, Ruby Wax was appointed Visiting Professor in Mental Health Nursing at the University of Surrey.[15]

In 2013, Ruby Wax published a book called "Sane New World", which became a number 1 best-seller. Two years later, in 2015, Wax announced that her third book would be published in January 2016 called "Wake The F ** K Up - A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled".[citation needed] In 2015 it was announced that she would be awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to mental health.[19]

In 2004, the BBC planned to show a cartoon series called Popetown, which poked fun at the Roman Catholic Church. In it, Wax portrayed the Pope as a spoiled child. After protests, the BBC chose not to show the series.[20]

In February 2004, Irish broadcaster Patricia Danaher reached an out-of-court settlement with Wax, who had falsely claimed that Danaher had made "racist" and "anti-Semitic" remarks about her in an interview for Ulster Television. Wax's legal team apologised in court, accepted that Danaher had not made any racist or anti-Semitic statements and announced that there had been a financial settlement.[21]

Wax is married to television producer and director Ed Bye. Wax and Bye have three children, Max (1988), Madeleine (1990) and Marina (1993). Wax has also been very open about her own struggle with depression. She made an online series on mental health issues for the BBC and has worked with mental health charities.[23]